This blog post explains an unexpected difference in the way my latest batch of Auchen was spun. I recorded an Instagram video here which contains all the main details – in case you would rather listen to than read the details. You can listen/watch here.

I discovered just bfore Christmas that unfortunately the latest batch of Auchen was spun differently from my order request, which was for a match of the previous Sport weight batch. I received an advance lot of the batch in October and the bulk of it just recently. As I started working with the main part of the batch I began feeling that there was a difference but it took me a while to work out exactly what it is – in fact the batch has been three plied rather than two plied, and is 260m/100g (250m/approx 95g skein) rather than 375m/100g (410m/approx 110g skein). It seems crazy that this didn’t become apparent sooner but it just never occurred to me that it would not have been spun as ordered. Given that Auchen is woollen spun it is quite fuzzy and the individual plies aren’t very apparent unless you really look.

As I’m sure you can imagine, working out that the new spin is different came as a horrible shock. Since making the discovery I have sorted a large wholesale order which was due to be sent off imminently, made rapid changes to a new design which was almost complete, have contacted all website customers who have some of this new batch, plus sent a newsletter asking all who have bought Auchen since late October to contact me. However, based on the number of emails since sending the newsletter, I am concerned that a number of customers, in particular some who bought Auchen at Glasgow School of Yarn, are still not aware that their yarn may not suit their original plans. If anyone wonders whether they have the newer batch of Auchen please can they contact me by email (mail@blackisleyarns.co.uk) so that I can help provide a solution.

I have three possible suggestions for anyone who has the newer batch of Auchen, as way of trying to apologise and compensate for this error. I’ll mention first though my thoughts in terms of how the Light DK compares to the Sport it was supposed to be. Dependent on the project it is used for it is likely to be possible to use the yarn for Sport weight projects as well as Light DK to DK weight projects – it is light and airy, as per the two plied Sport version, and can be knit on smaller needles. The three plies give the yarn a more rounded character and, being woollen spun, it will fill out if knit as a DK weight. The colourwork mittens pattern for my Hirsel collaboration was almost completed, designed for three sizes of mitten using the very last of my previous Sport batch. Frustratingly the yarn sets I can put together and send out with the pattern will now be in the Light DK. Alex very kindly immediately set to work on knitting with the Light DK to test and rewrite the pattern for this unexpected new weight– she has found that by dropping needle by one size she can match stitch gauge (row gauge is a little out). The Hirsel Collection is still due to be posted out in the middle of January as originally planned and will include the newly rewritten pattern and beautiful sets in Auchen Light DK.

I will do more testing and swatching of the Light DK over the next few weeks and, when I can, will provide as much information as I can to help knitting the Light DK weight. I am hopeful that many of the Perspectives designs can still be knit at this new weight (and in fact I know that a customer has knit one of the largest Pityoulish Vest sizes successfully to gauge with four skeins of the Light DK rather than three of the Sport). I will be away at the beginning of January until w/b 16th Jan and have removed Auchen from the shop temporarily until I return and can amend the online details properly.

For those who have bough the three plied Auchen Light DK:

If you have just one skein and were planning a hat or mittens you should still be able to go ahead as planned (although you could consider a design for a slightly heavier weight of yarn if wanted). If you were planning a bigger project you may now not have enough yarn unfortunately, for which I am very sorry indeed. To try to resolve things as best as I can I have the following suggestions:

1. keep the Light DK, if you feel it will work for what you planned and that you will have enough, and email me for a £9 refund per skein
2. return all the Light DK you have and I will refund in full
3. if you’d like to keep the Light DK but now won’t have enough yarn for your plans then i) I can send additional skeins if I have more of the same dye batch (this is straightforward if you have Haar (undyed)), or ii) send back the skeins you have and I will dye a new batch, in a similar shade, with an increased number of skeins

For any queries or refund/exchange/additional skeins requests please email me mail@blackisleyarns.co.uk .

I hope the above options make sense and that one of them seems as if it would be a reasonable option for you? ‘Reasonable’ – in as much as your plans may well have been completely messed up, for which I really do apologise. If you have a different suggestion which would suit you better then please do just let me know. I really am so very sorry for all this mess and will try to resolve things as best as I can for you.

I should also add that I will have a batch of Auchen Sport spun as soon as I can. But, realistically, this probably won’t be complete until early 2024. I will send off summer 2023’s fleeces as soon as I can and hope that the mill will spin the batch as a priority.